Nine one-hundbedths to julius th



(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1. R. J. ROMBAUER.

VELOOIPEDE.

Patented Sept. 18, 1888. I

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' R. J. ROMBAUER.

VELOGIPEDE.

I A l I v W Q K UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT J. ROMBAUER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOE OF NINETY- NINEONE-HUNDREDTHS TO JULIUS TH. ROMBAUER, ERNEST E. ROM- BAUER, AND BERTHAROMBAUER, OF SAME PLACE.

VELOCIPEDE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 389,855, datedSeptember 18, 1888. Application filed November 27, 1886. Serial No.220,087. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ROBERT J. ROMBAUER,

of St. Louis, Missouri, have made a new and useful Improvement inVelocipedes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My. improved velocipedc has but two wheels-namely, a pair of wheelsjournaled side by side upon an axle, which also, and bero tween thewheels, carries a framework and mechanism for supporting the rider andfor propelling the vehicle.

The leading feature of the improvement is the means by which the ridercan stand erect 5 in the line of, or substantially in the line of,

but with his center of gravity below, the wheelcenters, and, with hisfeet upon-treadles, and with a movement similar to that of walking, andwith his hands applied, if desired, to

auxiliary mechanism, be enabled to utilize his full weight in propellingthe velocipede.

The improvement is carried out in the most desirable manner by means ofthe construction shown in the annexed drawings, making part of thisspecification, in which Figure l is a front elevation of the velocipede, the seat-board being upturned. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3is a plan. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the axle and the fixed 3oportion of the frame-work. Fig. 5 is a plan of the axle and fixedportion of the frame. Fig. 6 is a side elevation, from the inner sidethereof, of one of the hand-wheels. Fig. 7 is a section on the line s sof Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a detail, being a front view of the part which isadapted to slide in the groove in the handwheel, and used in clampingthe handle to the hand-wheel. Fig. 9 is a view of the central portion ofthe treadle-shaft. Fig. 10 is a side view of the link for uniting thetwo parts of the treadle-shaft between the treadles, and Fig. 11 is asectional view of the treadle-shaft and parts thereto attached.

The same letters of reference denote the same parts.

The machine consists of the following parts:

A A represent a solid frame, comprising axleband with axles, seat-band,vertical rods, side the frame.

bands, foot=braces, and diagonal supports for hand-pulleys.

A A are the axles for the reception of the wheels, which move freelyround the axles and are kept in place by axle'serews. The axleband a andseat-band a of the frame form in their middle portion a semicircle togive room for the body of the rider, whether standing or sitting. a areside braces for frames.

A A are vertical rods of the frame, of which the two middle ones supportthe seatboard and foot-rest braces, the outside ones the hand-pulleybraces. All four vertical rods have on line 0 0, Fig. 4, axle-holes forthe reception of the foot-crank axles with pulleys.

A A are braces with axle for the reception of the hand-pulley, bent outof the way of the link-belts and strengthened by trusses from thevertical rods. (Enlarged in Fig. 7.)

A A are foot-rest braces of the frame, attached to vertical rods, andform rests for feet when the operator sits down and does not wish to usehis feet.

B B are wheels with pulleys on inside hubs, with double track for linkbelts of foot and hand pulleys, by which the wheels are freely turnedaround the axles of the frame, bearing on these axles at two places-oncenear their outside ends, and .also near the axle-shoulder of the frame.

O O are foot-pulleys with crank-axle turning freely in axle-holes of thevertical rods of (Enlarged in Fig. 11.) v

O Oare friction pulleys or clutches,by which foot-cranks can beconnected or disconnected with foot-pulleys. (Enlarged, Fig. 11.)

C O are levers arranged for above purpose 8 5 with oblique circular baseon foot-pulley axle to guard against upward pressure of foot-pulley axlecaused by weight on treadle. (Enlarged, Fig. 11.)

O is the central connecting link of foot- 0 cranks with knuckle-joint incenter, admitting lateral motion caused by the connection ordisconnection of the friction pulleys or clutches. This link does notbend in the direction of the forward or backward motion of the machine.5

(Enlarged, Figs. 9 and 10.)

D D are handpulleys with track for link belt on tire and circular groovenear periphery. (Enlarged, Figs. 6 and 7.)

D is a handle secured in groove, freely turning on its core and movableon apivot. (Enlarged, Figs. 6 and 7.)

l) is a slip and elamppiece between flanges, which permits the handle todeflect sufticient 1y outward from right angle at center,that it may beshifted to place most comfortable for use, and clamped there by beingbrought to position at right angles with radius. (Enlarged, Figs. 6, 7,and S.)

E E are slippers freely movable round footcrank rod, but evenlybalancedas to heel and toe portions. (Enlarged, Figs. 9 and 11.)

E E are bars movable with the slippers on same pivot, but whose weightwill keep slippers always in horizontal position for convenient use.(Enlarged, Figs. 9 and 11.)

F is the seat, which can be raised or let down on spring-hinge, to beraised when operator desires to use hand and feet, and stands in avertical position between the axles, and to be lowered when operatorwants to sit down and not use the feet.

G G are levers for connecting or disconnecting friction pulleys orclutches, havingnotches provided in rear of axle'band, by which thelever can be kept steady in any desiredposition.

G G are springs which hold lever in a position to keep friction pulleysor clutches c011- nected unless displaced by handling.

H II are link belts as com mnnicators of power.

I I are bolts on the middle of axle and seatband to admit separation ofmachine in halves for the purpose of storing, in which case one of thepins on the central connecting-link of the foot-cranks (G has to bedrawn.

The dimensions may be changed in propor tion or also changed in therelation of the parts to each other as more speed or more power isdesired. Likewise may the height of the wheels be reduced if the lowerportion of the frame is loaded with freight or ballast. A vigorousactive man can operate the clutches or friction-pulleys, if they arewell made,without the assistance of the lever G. The open spaces on hubmay be lightly covered to protect axles from dirt.

Frame-The machine consists of a frame, A A, of which Fig. 4 is the frontview and Fig. 5 the top view, and which furnishes axles to the largewheels. At axles for the handpulleys and at the bottom of the verticalrods are axle-holes for the foot-pulley axle. The upper and lowerhorizontal bands of the frame curve out in their central portion, so asto admit the body in the vertical plane of the axles. Four vertical rodsreach down from the upper horizontal band or axle-band. The middle twoof these rods support the seat-band and the foot-rests. From the outertwo vertical rods of the frame stretch forward diagonal braces, whichhave a reverse curve, bent in order to give room for the hand-pulleydisk and to bring the same into thesame plane with the hand-pulleybelt-track on the hub. The diagonal braces and truss-bands have on theirapex the axles around which the hand-pulley disks turn.

The large wheels B B have on the inside periphery of their hubslink'belt tracks, upon which the link belts of the hand and foot pulleysact, causing the motion of the machine. The hand and foot pulleylink-belt tracks are respectively in the same vertical plane with thelink-belt tracks on the hubs of the large wheels.

The handpnllcys D D have an arrangement near the periphery of theirdisks by which the crank-handles can be shifted to any position of theircircle. The hand attachment to the pulley D (illustrated by Fig. 7)consists of a handle, which turns round its core. This core has a hinge,which connects it loosely with a bent piece of sheet-iron in such mannerthat when the handle is brought into a position at right angles to theplane of the handpulley disk it presses the sheet-iron piece against theinner walls of the groove on the hand-pulley near its periphery, actingas a clamp, which fastens the handle to the handpulley in any positionthat may be desired. The object of this arrangement is to give theoperator the chance of bringing his hands with the hand pulley handlesinto any position which the position and movement of the feet mayconveniently demand. This is desirable, for the feet remain in the samerela tive position to each other, because even on turns, where one wheelis moved slower than the other, the feet move evenly on the treadles,the slower motion being effected by the disconnection of the gear on thefoot-pulley axles. The hand-pulley is turned on by the link belt, and assoon as one wheel is turned slower than the other the handles, it madeentirely fast to the handpulley, would often come into positions whichwould not be most convenient to the operator. In order to attain theobject aimed at namely, to imitate as near as possible the action of thebody while walking some arrangement is necessary by which the handlescan be brought into the desired position.

The purpose of the various parts and of the whole machine is to furnisha velocipede which can be propelled by the full weight and force of thehuman body safely without balancing into any direction.

The large wheels turn on the axles of the frame, which is kept invertical position by its own weight and the weight of the operator, thecenter of gravity of both being below the axles. The wheels arepropelled by link belts passing round their hubs and moved by foot andhand pulleys. ,The foot-pulleys are driven by the uniform movement ofthe feet on treadles, which can be disconnected from the ICC gear inorder to secure the same relative position of the feet, even when, forthe purpose of turning, one of the large wheels is stopped or movedslower than the other Friction-pulleys O G, moved by a lever, G G, servethe purpose of this connection or disconnection. The hand-pulleys alsopropel the large wheels by link belts, and as they move continuouslywith the large wheels, having no disconnecting arrangement on the axles,their convenient use after turns is secured by the shifting of thehandle. Either hand or feet can be used separately or jointly. When theoperator sits, he can use the hands only. WVhen he is erect, he may usehand and feet, or either separately.

I am aware that previous to my invention various machines have been madefor the locomotion of man by'his own power. I therefore do not claimsuch a combination, broadly; but

\Vhat I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is-

1. The combination of the wheels, the axle extending from wheel to wheeland made with an offset, as described, the hand-wheels, as described,and the treadle-shaft continuous from clutch to clutch and journaled inbearings suspended from said axle in the vertical plane of the centersof said wheels and at the level described, to enable the rider to standerect in the line of, bntwith his center of gravity below, saidwheelcenters, and, with his feet upon the treadles, and with a walkingmovement and rotating the handwheels, to propel the velocipede,substantially as described.

-2. The combination, in a velocipede, of the trcadle-shaft j ointed atits middle,as described, the lower pulley-shaft, the clutches, and thelevers for shifting the treadle-shaft, as and for the purpose described.

3. The arrangement of the foot-pulleys G with friction-pulleys O, lever(arrangement) 0, for the purpose of connecting or disconnecting powerwith motion, of connecting-link 0' between foot-crank treadles, whichadmits of disconnection at friction'pulleys without disconnecting thetwo treadles and of a uniform application of the action of both feet onboth wheels of the machine, of slippers E and bar for slippers E,holding them in position, of lever G and lever-springs G, and of linkbelts H, and of all parts designated for the free and full use of thefoot-pulley gear.

4. The arrangement of hand-pulleys D, transmitting power by link orother belts H, of groove on hand-pulley disk, of handle D, and slipclamp-piece D, for shifting of handle to convenient position with allits parts.

5. The arrangement and combination offootpulleys O,hand-pulleys D,slipper E, seat F, lever G, link belts H, and bolts I, by which themachine, suspended on the axles, necessitating no balancing, can befreely moved in any direction by hand or feet while the operator isstanding or sitting, and can be separated for more convenient storing.

6. The arrangement and combination in this machine of frame A, wheels B,foot-pulleys O, hand-pulleys D,slippers E, seat F, lever G, link beltsH, and bolts I, by which it may be propelled by the weight and muscularpower of the human body, either while sitting or in an uprightposition,with a motion similar to walking, without the necessity ofbalancing, moving, or turning in any direction, with a unlformapplication of the full weight of the body on both wheels at the sametime, and adj ustable for the most convenient use and storing of thesame, the machine to be constructed and used in the manner described andspecified.

, ROBERT J. ROMBAUER.

lVitnesses:

J ULIUs T. ROMBAUER, ERNST E. ROMBAUER.

